I have the hindsight of many months since most of the good "rate it all" people have responded to this rating request, but durring the last four to six months there has been little progress. Jack Murtha: Measures of progress. Electricity? Water? Unenployment? GDP? Safety in one's home If we are over the Horizon, how could this get worse for the average Iraqi? He thinks the Iraqi's don't want the Forign Haters in their country. I think he knows what the Generals are saying. He knew what they were thinking about Rumsfeld.

We should, but we can't.... King George was warned by Colin Powell and most of the free world before we went in - "You break it, you own it" - It would be morally reprehensible if we left Iraq in the shape that it is in right now. The fighting will probably wane as we SLOWLY turn over whatever semblence of sovereignty we allow the Iraqis', but we're going to have troops in that region for the rest of our days.... Or until all the oil fields are dried-up.

The Democratic Party Plan for Iraq: 1. Cut 2. Run

For the record, I agree that an immediate pullout would not be good, but I had to respond to the earlier comment by ArmyofGodAdorned, as it is misleading. I just did some calculations and research on the post, as the assertion seemed unlikely. Some corrections: Firstly, the number of troops quoted elsewhere for this example was 160,000 and not 60,000. Secondly the US has been engaged in Iraq for 34 month, and not 22. Thirdly, 80.6 per 100,000 was the peak annual homicide (not just gun-related death) rate in DC in 1991. It has since halved. 2112 deaths in 34 months for an average force of 160,000 equates to an average of 745 deaths per annum for 160,000 or 466 per 100,000. 466 per 100,000 is just shy of 6 times the peak homicide rate in DC in 1991. Gotta love that logic.

Bad idea, I would rather see a timeline of control. Something like. More Iraqi Troops Total Iraqi Troops Progress of the War I am a Democrat but I know if we leave there will a civil war and our great grandchildren will be dealing with the hatred that half the world will have for all of America.

We are like this close to economic collapse now. The unthinkable is happening now. Bush would be crazy not to withdraw, but then again, what has he been doing the past few years but being crazy? That's why we're in the place we're at now. Screw the Iraqi people, this extracurricular activity is just insane to be involved with now!

Soon but not immediately. Once they have been trained and our military has killed off or captured more terrorists then maybe we can pull out. We will always have some military over there just like we do in South Korea and Germany so soon hopefully when things settle down a bit we can keep a smaller amount of troops there just in case. I would say we should see some real advancements in training and government issues by at least 2008.

Giving your strategy to the enemy is, I believe, not a very nice thing to do. Saying when we would withdraw is simply telling the enemy to stay low and wait. We made the mess in Iraq and we cannot leave until we have put them back on their feet.

I think as soon as possible would be my choice. It would seem that, as others have said, we've started something that now has to play out to some kind of conclusion. It's less important who started the fire now than who needs to put it out - or at least get it down to a managable size. The Middle East has always been a Pandora's box and I cringed the day we became involved on this level.

Yeah, that's smart. Heh, America messed up, simple as that. But, they can't run away when times get tough. There is too much, as far as domestic and foregin policy goes, relying on the success of Iraq. They made mistakes, but the mistakes have to be made right. America should leave when the time is right; WE DON'T WANT ANOTHER SOMALIA.

Despotoskie, our country may be young, but our GOVERNMENT is one of the longest standing governments still in place today. Others have had peaceful transfers of power but that doesnt change the fact that our government is very adaptable and has worked well for a relatively long time so calling us a fledgling nation really falls on its face. And to say that we somehow want them to adopt American culture is foolish as well. Is it too much to ask that they not blow holes in our harbored warships? Is it too much to ask that they not fly planes into our building, killing thousands of innocent civilians? We are not asking them to subscribe to our way of living. We are telling them to behave like fellow members of the human race. As for the subject at hand, I dont think I have to say what a disaster this would be.

Yes, we must do that. We should withdraw all our troops at any cost. We don't want any more insurgents killed. Then once we make our withdrawal, let us also take some sexy Iraqi guys & girls to our country. How about that?

The moral choice. Of course, this will never happen under the regime of dubya. The crusade isn't over yet.

What Lance!? What thriving democracies has the infantile United States of America helped?? This country has been around shorter than any other to speak of. Iraq will NEVER subscribe to our way of living. Ask any, and I mean ANY person from that country if they agree with our way of life. The men ALL agree with beating their wives or women in general. What, just because we say so they will change hundreds of years of thought process and decide to take up our customs. Thats absolutely foolish!! Say goodbye to Alice and come back from Wonderland. Unfortunately its not as easy as pulling all the troops out right now because weve gotten in too deep. But, it should be and the US has zero right to be there!

Whether you were originally for the war or against it you would still have to agree that pulling all our troops out at this moment would be a tremendous disaster. We've had success in the past helping nations develop into thriving democracies- we can again- it just takes time and effort. Our help shouldn't be indefinite but measured by the ability for Iraqi defenses to protect themselves and police their nation.... whether that takes 2 years or 5 that's the commitment necessary for success.